Ranking The Fast & Furious films
If, like us at somethingyousaid.com, you’re a fan of film or pop-culture in general, then you’ve obviously heard of the tragic death of actor Paul Walker in November. Just 40 years old, the actor who was best known for his character Brian O’Connor in the “Fast & Furious” franchise was killed in a car accident as he was leaving a charity event in California.
While never perhaps garnering awards consideration, he was a much-admired actor and, generally, was viewed as an action and thrill entertainer. That seems to be just the way he wanted it too. On his own Twitter page, Walker even described himself basically as an action sports junkie, adding “and I do some acting on the side.”
But whether or not you were a fan of Walker, one fact remains for film lovers: the “Fast & Furious” franchise has been remarkably successful. It has also offered some undeniably entertaining popcorn action over the years. Here’s a brief look back at the six films to date, and our rankings in reverse order.
6. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (#3)
A lot of people actually love Tokyo Drift, and it’s certainly entertaining, but it’s a bit too separated from the classic O’Connor/Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) plot lines to be among the best of the franchise.
5. Fast & Furious (#4)
This film felt a bit like a filler—a bridge to more action—and, as a result, isn’t one of the best. Still, it’s worth a watch and a lot of fans seemed to miss it.
4. 2 Fast 2 Furious (#2)
This film has an awkward script, ridiculous action, and too much sex appeal for its own good. But if there was ever a bad film with enormous entertainment value, this is it. It’s also the film that brought Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris into the “Fast & Furious” family that now seems so solidified.
3. Fast and Furious 6 (#6)
The most recent film certainly upped the action, with O’Connor, Toretto and the gang jumping into international conflicts in a big, bold new way. It was an exciting film, and a great setup for even more action to come.
2. The Fast and the Furious (#1)
It’s hard to top the original. It’s where we first met O’Connor and Toretto and it’s when their odd, twisted, and always-tense bond began. Few probably would have ever predicted this action film would spawn one of the strongest modern action movie franchises. It’s currently available on streaming service Picturebox for those who never caught it and would like to. This streaming site cycles films in and out on a weekly basis, and this is currently one of its best offers.
1. Fast Five (#5)
Inarguably the best film in the franchise, “Fast Five” was perhaps the only one that felt like more than a high-octane action film. There were some strong dramatic components to “Fast Five,” along with a stronger script, and perhaps Paul Walker’s best work in the franchise. Those elements are what sets it apart.
